Pokémon video games

<p>Here it is! Awaited like a Mewtwo in 1999-2000, the seamless open world finally arrives in the Pokémon universe. And if you are going to be able to roam everywhere, it may as well be through enchanting landscapes: the Iberian Peninsula is therefore a perfect choice.

As a reminder, the main-line Pokémon video games always work to the same plan: the player has to capture Pokémon in order to build an effective team, able to let them win increasingly difficult battles against the Gym Leaders, and thus become the best trainer. Well... while the mission remains the same in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the freedom given to the player allows them to take on their rivals in whatever order they want. But that will not be the title's only objective.

What is on the program? 3 quests to complete in order to finish the main arc and access the final storyline. More than 100 new Pokémon, and that's it, the pocket monster glossary passes 1,000 entries. And speaking of our favorite critters, the Legendaries welcome a new group into their ranks: the Treasures of Ruin.

New gameplay mechanics, including "Let's Go!" - allowing one of the player's Pokémon to take on opponents entirely on its own - and Terastallization, a system letting a Pokémon change type to reach its Tera type, further enrich a game that stands in 2026 as one of the best ever offered.

A trend set up during the previous generation, the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet video games also come with 2 expansions: </p>

<p>Back to Ryme City, where the most cynical of all Pikachu is not about to put away his kawaii Sherlock Holmes cap. With exposure spread across different media - since you may well know that Detective Pikachu got its movie adaptation, with a top-tier Hollywood cast - it was only logical for the puzzle saga to continue.

And if neither the gameplay nor the puzzles gave much trouble to players who experienced the first generations, it is much the same with this installment. Careful, we are not saying this to explain that it is absolutely not necessary to be a Poké Fan Master, or even to know the Pokémon universe, to manage to solve the puzzles, no. It is not so much knowledge as age that should be considered, because once again - and despite the slightly borderline personality of the most famous electric mouse - Detective Pikachu Returns is aimed at younger players.

That is the whole flaw of this title: an adventure of disconcerting ease, which delights children but risks losing more seasoned players.</p>

<p>Making something new out of something old has become the trademark of the studios working on the Pokémon franchise, with varying degrees of success, by the way. So, what about this 9th generation? Good or bad, it all depends on what you are looking for!</p>

<p>Goodbye badges, welcome trials! While on paper such a change is meant to shake up the very foundations of Pokémon, in practice it does nothing of the sort. Rest assured, you will still have to catch creatures - both local and more familiar ones - and take part in battles.

81 new Pokémon inhabit the charming island region of Alola, which is also home to Ultra Beasts, new abilities and previously unknown moves, including Z-Moves, which are very useful when the hero lacks power.

Finally, relaxation and leisure take center stage, in their Poké versions. Poké Refresh continues along the path taken in the 6th generation, where the relationship with your Pokémon played a much bigger part in the story. This time, well-filled affection, fullness and enjoyment gauges will grant bonuses in battle. Poké Pelago - for its part - is an archipelago whose islands must be unlocked, and on which the Pokémon stored in the PC will carry out a few missions in exchange for rewards.</p>

<p>The last installments to bring the Nintendo 3DS to life, the Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon re-releases seem not to bring any major new features... Well, not before reaching a good few dozen hours of play, where all the waiting is finally rewarded as it should be.

And what a reward! A nicely enriched story with an "adventure after the adventure", where the legendary Pokémon Necrozma takes more of the spotlight, with new forms, including its ultimate form. Characters coming from another dimension, new enemies that are not that new, but new enough to lose the 2 or 3 people at the back who only keep half an eye on what is happening in the Pokémon universe... Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are far more complete games than many of the re-releases released to date.

New Z-Moves (and the possibility of benefiting from a second one in battle), new Pokémon forms, Ultra Wormholes finally put forward, unknown Ultra Beasts: the Ultra versions of Sun and Moon bring real added value to the base games.</p>

<p>Who would have thought that these games were remakes of Pokémon Yellow - released in 2000 in France - and that they were therefore part of the main series? Pokéfans, of course, who can indulge themselves in this adventure where the partner Pokémon is either Pikachu, naturally, or Eevee.

With all the first-generation Pokémon, joined by two newcomers - Meltan and Melmetal - the Let's Go titles bring a host of new features. Among them, Mega Evolutions, a brand-new capture system - the Poké Ball Plus - and a connection with the PokéTeam's biggest mobile hit: Pokémon Go, allowing Pokémon caught on mobile to be transferred to the GO Park, the replacement for the Safari Zone.

In the end, with all these new features, what is left of Pokémon Yellow? The iconic foundation of what is still, in 2026, one of the most beloved and profitable video game franchises of all time.</p>

<p>A new career path for Pikachu, who - unlike Pokéfans - may have grown tired of always doing the same thing, even though he has a far fuller life to his name than most of us! And if you were fond of his naive but charming "pika pika", you may be thrown off by this detective version, surprisingly talkative and cynical, as addicted to coffee as he is to women.

You are not dreaming, Detective Pikachu is an investigation game where the Pokémon mascot becomes the partner of the hero, a young man whose father has disappeared. Together they investigate this disappearance, as well as the substance R, a real scourge that makes Pokémon violent.

While the title is clearly not in the same league as Ace Attorney, it will appeal to younger players for its accessibility and to series regulars for the many nods scattered here and there throughout the adventure.</p>

<p>Do the Pokémon have their eye on Minecraft? That is what the cubic visual style chosen for the occasion might suggest, but the comparison stops there. On Tumblecube Island, the player, their Pokapi IV drone and their partner Pokémon must capture, recruit and train as many pocket monsters as possible.

With its distinctive look and accessible gameplay, all players - whether newcomers or regulars - should find the experience enjoyable, though repetitive in the long run.</p>

<p>Formerly Pokémon Masters, this mobile game lets players take on the Trainers from the main series with a brand-new character, in real-time 3-on-3 battles.

The Pokémon Masters League is a tournament where each trainer can only use one of their Pokémon, but must team up with 2 other players to form a team of 3 trainers and 3 Pokémon. The player therefore has to control a team of 3 trainer-Pokémon duos, managing and skillfully using the abilities available in order to win as many battles as possible!</p>

<p>How do you keep players interested between the big releases, knowing that there were a particularly large number of them during this 7th generation? Well, you can always rely on sure bets: mobile games, re-releases, new versions... There is no way to get bored!</p>

<p>Pokémon have now been a big part of our lives for 15 years. Fifteen years celebrated by the arrival of a new installment: Pokémon Black and White Versions, which pulls off the masterstroke of still not revolutionizing the concept - which might actually be badly received by fans - without ever becoming tiresome.

This time around, 156 new Pokémon are announced, bringing the number of existing creatures to 649, no less! Among the new features, the seasons also make an appearance, as does the Pokémon Dream World. It is a breath of fresh air in the form of a game mode where the player is tasked with taking advantage of a Pokémon's dreams to bring pocket monsters back to the "real world", thanks to mini-games.

Add to that Wi-Fi features that greatly expand the possibilities offered by the games, as well as a graphical evolution that is far from unpleasant, even if there is still room for improvement.</p>

<p>No, you are not dreaming! It took a little more than 15 years for Nintendo to allow itself to give us a sequel to a main series installment. It is a first, and let's be honest, it is a success.

The action takes place two years after the events of the previous games, and the least we can say is that a lot has happened.

Pokestar Studios, which, contrary to what its name might suggest, has nothing to do with a forest. It is in fact a gigantic film complex, where the movies shot there allow the player to receive gifts from fans. The Join Avenue brings to life a large square gathering many shops, which can be run by other players online. Speaking of online, the Funfest Missions offer the chance to take on a staggering number of players, in missions with multiple rewards that give the titles a pretty impressive lifespan!

Note the simultaneous release of Pokémon Dream Radar on Nintendo 3DS, a piece of software linked to Black 2 and White 2 that lets you capture Pokémon or collect rare items in augmented reality.</p>

<p>What? How? No re-releases? No remakes either? Well, players will have to be kept busy until the 6th generation arrives! Luckily, Nintendo can count on some safe bets (more or less) to keep Pokémania from fading - but... is that even possible?</p>

<p>Ready to dive into the action? Because that is exactly what the 3rd generation Pokémon games offer! With Ruby and Sapphire, your character - Brendan or May - can now dive and encounter a whole new marine bestiary.

2v2 battles also make their appearance, as do contests. Because if you ever had time to fill in your trainer schedule, entering your Pokémon in contests to find out which one is the smartest would be your priority, obviously. You would be wrong to pass them up, though, since the gameplay mechanic turns out to be much more enjoyable than first imagined.

And while the move to the Game Boy Advance raised hopes for a more pronounced graphical leap, these titles remain must-haves that push the number of Pokédex entries to 386, that is 135 new Pokémon!

Note that a new pinball game - Pokémon Pinball Ruby & Sapphire - directly inspired by the games was released a few months later, along with Pokémon Box Ruby & Sapphire, a management system with storage space for your Pokémon.</p>

<p>A return to the origins for these titles, which bring the Japanese games Pokémon Red and Green, the first two entries in the saga, up to date. As in their original version, it is Venusaur and Charizard that have the honor of appearing on the game boxes.

Modernized graphics, updated features, but there is not all that much new to get your teeth into... A new National Pokédex, the appearance of the Sevii Islands, mini-games and a few changes here and there will nevertheless be enough to make these remakes essentials for Pokémon fans, who are often tempted by the appeal of acute collecting fever!</p>

<p>At least Nintendo waited a little over two years before releasing a new edition of its hits, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire! With a new mascot - the legendary Pokémon Rayquaza - the title offers multiple changes to the storyline, but there are few new features.

The Battle Tower becomes the Battle Frontier, which now includes six new buildings where you can face a special Champion: the Frontier Brain. The Safari Zone grows by two areas, where you can catch Pokémon from Johto. Unfortunately, some Pokémon have disappeared and can only be obtained through a trade.

This new edition brings so little content that it would be tempting to believe Nintendo does not really respect the passion it instilled in its players itself. But we prefer to tell ourselves that this entry is aimed at new players, which is far more politically correct.</p>

<p>A change of mood in the Pokémon universe... A more adult, darker setting, since a secret organization - Cipher - captures, "modifies" and uses Pokémon for rather unsavory purposes.

The first真 real full 3D adventure, Pokémon Colosseum offers a Story mode where the player takes on the role of Wes, accompanied by his friend Rui. A Battle mode is also included, supporting up to 4 players.

Shadow Pokémon make their appearance, created by Cipher, which distributes them to spread chaos. Because the particular feature of Shadow Pokémon is that their hearts have been closed, making them aggressive and violent, even toward humans... It will be up to Wes and Rui to restore order and put Cipher out of action.

A little over a year after the release of Pokémon Colosseum, a sequel named "Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness" appeared. In this entry, the player takes on the role of Michael, a young boy accompanied by his faithful Eevee. Cipher is of course back, and... no, they have not mended their ways.</p>

<p>Isn't there a game genre missing among all those explored by our friends the pocket monsters? Yes! You wanted a racing game, here it is! The first Pokémon game to land on the Nintendo DS, the first racing game, Pokémon Dash comes across as a UFO, let's not kid ourselves.

So, success or failure? With the electric Pikachu as the only playable character, surrounded by 15 other Pokémon, various game modes are available, including a multiplayer mode. Nothing extraordinary beyond that, Pokémon Dash will not be the game of the year 2005, even if fans once again turned up.

This entry at least has the merit of hinting at the arrival of the 4th generation with the appearance of the Pokémon Munchlax.</p>

<p>So many new features in these titles! As usual, there are two versions of the game, but on two different consoles: one on Game Boy Advance (Red) and the other on Nintendo DS (Blue). As for the genre, it moves between action, dungeon-RPG and rogue-like... quite a lineup! The player takes on the role of a Pokémon convinced that it is a human, tasked with rescuing other characters in randomly generated dungeons, with a team the player puts together from the 386 Pokémon featured in the game.

On paper, the promise is appealing. And it is just as appealing in-game, to be honest. The first titles in the "Mystery Dungeon" saga deserve credit for bringing a breath of fresh air with an adventure completely different from the ones we are used to experiencing.</p>

<p>A new installment that steps away from the main series and showcases the use of the Nintendo DS stylus thanks to a brand-new capture system: the Capture Styler. In this RPG adventure, the player takes on the role of an apprentice Ranger who must complete various missions to help the inhabitants of Fiore. To do so, he can count on the abilities of the Pokémon he manages to rally to his cause, as well as on Plusle or Minun, depending on the hero chosen.

The new capture system brings more challenge to this title, since you now have to circle the Pokémon you want to capture with the stylus as many times as necessary. And while this new feature may put off some purists, it remains very enjoyable to use while waiting for the arrival of the 4th generation of Pokémon games.</p>

<p>Between oddity and novelty that are not really either, it is the Nintendo DS and the GameCube that take center stage. These titles will probably not go down in history, but they still know how to offer welcome entertainment.</p>

<p>Welcome to Kanto, a region now legendary for hosting - among other things - the very first adventures of the pocket monsters! These first titles are in fact a worldwide adaptation of the Japanese hits Pocket Monsters Red and Green, as well as their re-release Pocket Monsters Blue.

Whether it was Pokémon Red and its Charizard or Pokémon Blue and its Blastoise - both released in October 1999 - players took on for the first time the role of a trainer whose ambition was to become a Pokémon Master. For these first adventures of catching, training and epic battles, Red is the chosen one, supported by the now famous Professor Oak.

Released a few months later, in June 2000, a special Pikachu edition - called Pokémon Yellow - brought the saga's legendary mascot into a modified version of Red and Blue, in color this time.</p>

<p>In the Pokémon universe, everything is connected, and Pokémon Stadium is the first game to officially prove it. It is thanks to the Transfer Pak that this magic is made possible, since the tool plugs into the controller and allows a Game Boy cartridge to be inserted.

By transferring the Pokémon caught in the Red, Blue and Yellow series, players can have them battle on their Nintendo 64, in 3D arenas that were impressive for the time. Mini-games are also on the program, to bring a bit of variety to an already very complete whole.

While this installment proves to be a real collector's item for fans of the Pokémon franchise, other players could well do without it due to its repetitiveness.</p>

<p>Nintendo thinks of all players. And among them, there are surely some who don't like games where strange sorts of animals face off in violent battles... How can they be drawn into the world of Pokémon anyway? Thanks to the calm and serenity given off by... a photo safari. Someone had to think of it, and Nintendo did!

Pokémon Snap offers a unique experience where players take on the role of a photographer, Todd, tasked with taking pictures of Pokémon in their natural habitat. Simple? Think again, because it is Professor Oak who sends you out, and he has a fairly precise idea of what THE good Pokémon photo is... Food, Poké Flute, various aids are available in order to photograph them all!</p>

<p>Trading card game fans, now is the time to get swept up in Pokémania! The Pokémon video games are a phenomenal success, and the Pokémon card games aren't left behind. And what if the Game Boy Color got a video game based on the card game? Yes, nothing is too much for Nintendo.

Designed for regulars and newcomers alike, the video game version makes the world of card games accessible without making it any easier to play. Enough to satisfy every type of player, especially since the Pokémon cards available in the game's first three sets can be completed with 27 new cards specific to the video game version.</p>

While these few first-generation games were a resounding success thanks to the experience they offered, other Pokémon-branded titles also found their place in unexpected universes.